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what we’re dealing with here? The Vigilanza simply isn’t equipped to handle something like this.’
‘Which is precisely why you should have left it in the hands of professionals,’ Pontiero interjected, a stony look on his face.
‘You still don’t get it. We can’t afford to trust anybody, which is why Cirin did what he did. Don’t look at me like that, Dicanti. Try to take into account the reasons for our actions. If Portini’s death had been the only one, we could have invented some excuse, and buried the whole subject. But it didn’t turn out that way. It’s nothing personal, please understand.’
‘What I understand is that we’ve been invited to the second course of the meal – with half the evidence. Just perfect. Is there anything else we should understand?’ Dicanti was furious now.
‘Not at the moment, no,’ said Dante, hiding behind an ironic smile.
‘Shit, shit, shit. This is all a terrible mess, Dante. From now on I want you to tell me everything. And I want one thing to be very clear: I’m in charge. You’ve been ordered to help me as much as you can, but you must understand that, as far as I’m concerned, it matters less that the victims were both cardinals than that the crimes took place in my jurisdiction. Is that clear?’
‘Crystal clear.’
‘It had better be. The modus operandi was the same?’
‘As far as my detective skills can deduce, yes. The body was stretched out at the foot of the altar. His eyes were gone. The hands, just like today, were cut off and placed on a piece of canvas alongside the body. It’s repugnant. I was the one who put the body in a bag and carried it to the crematorium. I spent all that night in the shower, take my word for it.’
‘It would have been a good idea if you’d stayed a little longer,’ Pontiero muttered.
    Four long hours later they finished working on Robayra’s body and began the process of removing it. On the express orders of Director Troi it was the men from Analysis who put the body in a plastic bag and carried it off to the morgue, so that no one else would see the cardinal’s robes. It was made clear to everyone that this was a very special case and that the identity of the dead man had to kept a secret.
    For everyone’s benefit.
The Saint Matthew Institute
Sachem Pikes, Maryland
    September 1994
Transcript of Interview Number 5 between Patient Number 3643 and Doctor Canice Conroy
    Dr Conroy: Good afternoon, Victor. Welcome to my office. Feeling better?
No. 6: Yes, doctor. Thank you.
Dr Conroy: Do you want a drink?
No. 6: No, thank you.
Dr Conroy: Well, a priest who doesn’t drink – that’s a novelty! It won’t bother you if I . . .
No. 6: Go ahead, doctor.
Dr Conroy: It’s my understanding that you’ve spent some time in the infirmary.
No. 6: I picked up a few bruises a week ago.
Dr Conroy: Do you remember how these bruises came about?
No. 6: Yes, doctor. It was during an altercation in the observation room.
Dr Conroy: Tell me what happened, Victor.
No. 6: I went there to undergo a plethysmograph, on your recommendation.
Dr Conroy: Do you recall the purpose of the test, Victor?
No. 6: To determine the causes of my problem.
Dr Conroy: Exactly, Victor. You recognise that you have a problem, which no doubt shows progress.
No. 6: I always knew that I had a problem, doctor. I should remind you that I’m attending the centre on a voluntary basis.
Dr Conroy: That’s certainly a subject I want to explore with you in our next session. But for now I’d like you to keep talking about what happened the other day.
No. 6: I went into the room and took off my clothes.
Dr Conroy: And that made you feel uncomfortable?
No. 6: Yes.
Dr Conroy: It’s medical procedure. You have to take your clothes off.
No. 6: I don’t think it’s necessary.
Dr Conroy: The technician has to attach the instrument that measures your reaction to a part of your body that is normally difficult to reach. That’s why you had to take your clothes off,